Strengthening
is the twenty-fourth episode of Kamen Rider Kuuga. It features the debut of Kuuga's Rising Titan, the first of the upgraded versions of Kuuga's four basic forms. Synopsis With his powers uncontrollable and Me-Garima-Ba unable to be defeated on his own, Yuusuke tries to figure out the means to master and control the growing power within Kuuga. Plot Yusuke’s sword glows gold for a brief moment and lengthens as he fights. Gouram then appears and attaches itself to the Trychaser. He then rams the motorcycle into Unidentified Lifeform #36, but she manages to heal the blow and escape as Gouram falls into pieces around the Trychaser. Due to the timing of the shocks, Yusuke thinks he understands how to use them to gain more power, and then wonders if Sakurako managed to decipher anything about it. Ichijo tells him that Sakurako was worried. Yusuke says he may need time to figure out how to get the power, and may need Enokida’s help. Jounan College-Archeology Research Lab, 1:46 p.m. Sakurako pores over the runes as a radio report of Unidentified Lifeform #36 plays over the radio. As Ichijo prepares to leave, Sugita tells him that they have no leads on where Unidentified Lifeform #36 went, but Ichijo notices that she left witnesses instead of the previous Gurongi, who killed everybody nearby, leading him to believe that the version of the game that Unidentified Lifeform #36 is playing has different rules. Sugita agrees, and decides to run background checks on the victims. Ichijo then gets a call from Tsubaki, who finished the autopsies on Unidentified Lifeform #36’s victims. The victims didn’t realize that they had been killed until later. Ichijo responds that it’s the first time they have used weapons, and Tsubaki asks him how Yusuke is doing. Ichijo tells him that he went over to Sakurako’s. Jounan College-Archeology Research Lab, 2:06 p.m. Yusuke arrives, and offers to eat Sakurako’s lunch after he notices that she didn’t touch it. He eats it and tries to talk to her, causing his speech to be muffled, which makes her laugh. He comments a moment later that she’s finally smiling, and then asks her if she made progress is deciphering the runes. After she stays silent when he asks, he requests that she be honest with him, since they’re both friends. She then shows him the translation about the sacred fountain and sun being buried in darkness. She isn’t sure what it means, but the translation worries her. Yusuke reassures her that it will be fine, and she decides to trust him. Collaborative Investigation HQ, 2:41 p.m. Ichijo goes over what each of the victims had on them when they died, and notices that 16 of the 41 victims were carrying a particular lighter despite 12 of them not carrying cigarettes. A message on the side of it advertised an opening sale, and Ichijo and Sugita decide to go and investigate it. Me-Garima-Ba clutches her side in pain as Ra-Dorudo-Gu reminds her that the time to complete her Gegeru is running out. Ra-Bariba-De then arrives, and taunts that a Me player like her cannot kill Kuuga. She tells the duo to shut up and watch her finish the game. Jounan College-Archeology Research Lab, 3:08 p.m. Sakurako, who is visibly cheered up, tells Jean that she will try her best, and heads out to do research. Chiyoda District, 3:14 p.m. An employee tells Ichijo and Sugita that the lighter was given out near the entrance of Ochanomizu Station, from seven a.m. until the afternoon. Ichijo remembers that 11 of the victims had passes for the Sobu line, and that the station was part of the line. Chiba-Police Science Research Institute, 3:46 p.m. Upon hearing Yusuke’s request, Enokida shows him to a room that she believes will be perfect for what he’s trying to do. Shibuya District, 3:53 p.m. Unidentified Lifeform #36 bypasses a mother and her daughter in favor of striking down and killing a woman walking nearby. Sakurako visits a library. Taitou District, 4:18 p.m. Ichijo and Sugita interview a relative of a victim, who tells them that his brother may have used the Sobu line. They then get a call from another officer, who tells them that the new victim used the Sobu line, and before Unidentified Lifeform #36 attacked, recognized her. Ichijo then deduces that all the victims took the 10:57 Sobu train bound for Chiba from Ochanomizu Station. Chiba-Police Science Research Institute, 5:21 p.m. Enokida watches Yusuke experiment with the handle of the Trychaser, and excitedly tells her that he believes that he’s figured something out. Pore Pore, 5:32 p.m. Minori arrives as Nana and Tamasaburo wash dishes. Tamasaburo switches on the TV, which is in the middle of an emergency broadcast warning everybody who was on the train with Unidentified Lifeform #36. The police then get news of Unidentified Lifeform #36, and Yusuke starts going to the location. Kantou University Hospital, 6:01 p.m. Tsubaki hears the broadcast, and realizes that Sakurako may have boarded the car with Unidentified Lifeform #36 when she visited him earlier. Unidentified Lifeform #36 then appears in front of Sakurako, who then flees. Unidentified Lifeform #36 manages to catch up to her, but Yusuke manages to arrive just before she attacks. Yusuke then transforms into Titan Form and battles her as Ichijo arrives. After a moment of fighting, Yusuke channels the power of the shocks, and transforms Titan Form’s armor into a version with gold trim. He then impales Unidentified Lifeform #36 with his sword, which also changed into a golden version, and kills her. Cast to be added Form Changes *Kuuga - Titan Form, Rising Titan Errors *''to be added'' Notes *This episode aired alongside episode 22, . *'Viewership': 10.7% *Unlike episodes 20, 22 and 23, this episode shows a lightning and flash in the closing screen. This indicates Kuuga managed to control and gain his Rising forms and it's subsequently used in later episodes which focus on Kuuga's Rising forms. *Yusuke can be seen eating a McDonald's meal in this episode. Digital Releases *The DVD Release of Kamen Rider Kuuga Volume 6 features episodes 21-24. *The Blu-ray Release of Kamen Rider Kuuga Volume 2 features episodes 17-33.http://www.toei-video.co.jp/special/kuuga Kuuga DVD Vol 6.jpg|''Kamen Rider Kuuga'' Volume 6, DVD cover Kuuga_Blu-ray_2.jpg|''Kamen Rider Kuuga'' Box 2, Blu-ray cover References Category:Kamen Rider Kuuga Category:Episodes Category:New Form Episode